Is there a potential Republican Candidate for Prez 2012 that anyone's excited about?

[JakeStarkey]

Obama's program generally failed in several vital parts because of the uber-left would not give ground to allow the moderate and conservative Dems to role over their Pub foes in Congress. The uber-left claim ideological purity and just acted the asses. Palin and the ~nistas are going to do the same thing to the Repubs: look at USAR and Tea Party Samurai as classic examples of far right ideological tail that is attempting to wag the dog. If it continues, Romney does not have a chance for the nomination, and the Repubs will most surely lose the election in 2012 for the presidency.

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

Who do you think the Republican ideological purists will want? Palin and/or Huckabee would probably split that vote and/or split some of it away from whomever the darkhorse "teaparty" type would be. The biggest chance that doesn't happen imo is if Palin doesn't run. Also, we know Romney won't do particularly well in the primaries in the evangelical south, but the rest of the country he probably has an advantage over everyone else. If he got the nomination, they would almost certainly fall in line and vote for him. I think he'll have to be weakened by a strong candidate not named Huckabee or Palin to stop him from getting the nomination.

 

[antagon]

Switching from Pro-Choice to Pro-Life within a few years when you just happen to go from running for Governor of Massachusetts to running for nominee of the Republican Party is symbolic of what many people see Romney as.

He will say or do whatever is necessary to get what he wants and has no real ideological compass. That's perception anyway, and I think it's pretty much true.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. If you don't have principles that's bad and if your moral compass is off or doesn't exist or doesn't go into you decision making, that's not ideal. Republicans particularly hate that. But, I think it's the subconscious reason a lot of people will never like Romney.

There are those that don't like him because he's Mormon, or his health care program in Massachusetts, or that he seems inept on foreign policy, or that he comes across as talking down to people and condescending, but I think his biggest problem is he's a flip-flopper.

He's probably as good as it gets this time around for the GOP and if Obama is incredibly weak politically in 2012, Romney would definitely have a puncher's chance if he got the nomination, but I think he's weaker than many people think.

there's a lot of truth to what you're saying. romney also has the stigma of mimicking reagan's ascendance if he wins the GOP nom having lost the previous primary and being faced with the chance to take out a carteresque obama. that's hardly significant, but omenous notwithstanding.

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

Why is that a stigma within the Republican nomination process? I personally don't see Obama as being very similar to Carter, but I know some do. I also don't see Romney as being Reaganesque.

The history and the similarity of what Romney would be trying to do, you're saying that would be a stigma to Romney within the nominating process? Why? It worked for Reagan...

 

[elvis]

Why is that a stigma within the Republican nomination process? I personally don't see Obama as being very similar to Carter, but I know some do. I also don't see Romney as being Reaganesque.

The history and the similarity of what Romney would be trying to do, you're saying that would be a stigma to Romney within the nominating process? Why? It worked for Reagan...

Reagan wasn't a mormon.

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

Did you guys know Harry Reid is a Mormon?

 

[elvis]

Did you guys know Harry Reid is a Mormon?

and he's not running for the republican nomination.

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

True.

I agree. He's got a lot to overcome within the nomination process, his religion being part of it.

Do ya'll think he (Romney) could win Michigan against Obama? That could be an interesting dilemma for Obama.

Michigan would almost never have a chance of being a tipping point state, but in the case of Romney being the Pub on the ballot, I'm not sure.

 

[elvis]

True.

I agree. He's got a lot to overcome within the nomination process, his religion being part of it.

Do ya'll think he (Romney) could win Michigan against Obama? That could be an interesting dilemma for Obama.

Michigan would almost never have a chance of being a tipping point state, but in the case of Romney being the Pub on the ballot, I'm not sure.

He would have a good shot. we just elected a republican governor here.

 

[skookerasbil]

Gonna be Mike Pence or Christie. Write it down s0ns............

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

I know. Pretty handily too. Michigan is money in the bank for a Dem lately. When was the last time it went GOP for President? I think it was Bush Sr. in 1988.

Obama had a huge cushion in electoral votes against McCain, but he should expect to lose North Carolina and Indiana in a close race for sure.

Obama won the entire Midwest outside of Missouri. (Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota).

I definitely don't think Pennsylvania will be a tipping point state anytime in the near future, but if Obama were to lose Michigan, I think he'd probably have to hold both Ohio and Florida.

Kwame Kilpatrick was a disaster, but I find it kind of interesting that Michigan might be in play and went heavy Republican in 2010. From what I can tell, Obama is bending over backwards to help Michigan more than any other state in the country. I like Jennifer Granholm too. I guess when you're suffering, you run away from what you've got to something different.

 

[American Horse]

Did you guys know Harry Reid is a Mormon?

Knew that; but he is a Democrat and that makes it ok.

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

Mike Pence is condescending without the charisma or experience to back it up. Whatever his strengths, that's a dealkiller.

Christie's fantastic from what I can tell, but no way he runs in 2012 imo...

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

How far would you have to go back to find a Presidential candidate from a major party worse than Sarah Palin? I have no idea. I'll try to figure it out. Let me know if you come up with the answer. Certainly Michael Dukakis and Bob Dole were substantially better.

 

[Charles_Main]

Is there a potential Republican Candidate for Prez 2012 that anyone's excited about?

Christi or Jindal but I think both have said they wont run.

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

Got it! Alf Landon, 1936 Republican nominee against FDR. Not sure if he was quite as weak as FDR was strong though...

Oh, my opinion, Christie's great. Jindal's weak.

 

[Immanuel]

The better question might have been:

Is there a potential Candidate for Prez 2012 that anyone's excited about?

Personally, I don't think there is a candidate out there of any party that is worth a second look at, especially if they want the job.

Immie

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

I'd venture a guess that the two main candidates on the ballot in the 2012 general will both be more appealing than they were in 2004.

 

[elvis]

I'd venture a guess that the two main candidates on the ballot in the 2012 general will both be more appealing than they were in 2004.

how do you figure?

 

[ElephantMcDonk]

Kerry and Bush were awful choices.

Obama and anyone but Palin should suffice as better options than those 2.

I'd argue that a great deal of those that despise Obama, hate him because either a) he's part Black and consciously or subconsciously they don't like that b) they're unhappy with their own lives and no President from Jan 2009- today could've changed that or c) pack mentality, they go with whatever everyone else says to fit in because they can't really think for themselves

One can argue that Obama is a below average Prez and many could do better, but compared to Bush Jr. he's Jesus Christ, Abraham Lincoln, and Moses all rolled into one.